This is KRISTIN...

She is awesome!!! A very creative person.  I think she inherited some of this from a wonderful set of parents.  (They owned their own businesses and were very creative and strong people.)  She is a go getter and never says "never".  She attempts a project and works until she is satisfied with the results, or starts over and makes it even better.   It's hard to find a person with such integrity to step into a business and put so much of herself into it.  We all look forward to the text messages, emails and blogs from her on a weekly basis.  She always seem to amaze us.   She makes me smile just seeing her number come up on caller ID and inspires me to always be the best, 

no matter what!!! 

  One year ago, (actually August 17th, was her anniversary)

she came to Home a la mode and began sewing for us... 

Great things began to happen.  Her personality and talents are so contagious that it makes us look forward to every creation she does.  She designs new patterns for Home a la mode every week.   She does our blog 99% of the time and tutorials that inspire the world... Yes... the world... we get international followers that comment on a regular basis.  She makes our wonderful samples for shows, makes our custom orders for our customers and the list just doesn't end.

Kristin is a hard worker and sets goals that make us all want to reach higher.  She and her husband live in Oklahoma and make time for children in college, high school, pre-school and beyond.  Yes, even jobs...  Kristin takes everything to heart by making it "her goal" to make everything better.  By being part of the solution, she rides out every detail until completed.  

We are so proud to wish Kristin a "Happy Anniversary" with Home a la mode and look forward to many years to come.  Check out our "Kristin Line" and coming soon our "Kristin Kare Line".   She even created her own discount code for our customers that follow our blog... So you can get a discount anytime by using her code.... KRISTIN5 on our website.  

Let's all give Kristin a great big THANK YOU for her 

creativity and time... WE LOVE YOU KRISTIN!!!

Can't imagine being without you!  

Love from your co-workers...

Holy Cow!

Good Morning, Good Morning, Good Morning...Yes, I am working on my 4th cup of coffee and it is only 6:30 in the morning.  This is what happens when I spend the evening the night before with all the lovely ladies from Home a la mode.

You see, once a month, we get together and discuss the upcoming months.  Let me tell you,  I AM SOOO EXCITED!

First off, did you get this email?

That's right...FREE SHIPPING on some of our products!

We also have a lot of new items coming in.  New plush animals, new food safe tins, I am working on some new bags and quilts, and we also have lined up some pretty great sales for the month of September.

As far as the blog...well, I will be telling you all about these things, plus a few tutorials....and let's see...maybe a giveaway or two...WOOHOO!  So check back often and see what we are up to.

Faith, Hope, and Love

Well, I have been at it again.  Playing with our Say It With Words Panels.  Today I wanted to show you the Faith Hope and Love Panel.  When I first saw this one I was really unsure what I wanted to do with it.  I had never made anything on point.  I dragged my feet, just a little, but I did.  So let me start by showing you what I had to work with...

First off...

Faith Hope and Love Panel.

Next...

Joy by Kate Spain Layer Cake

Then...and this was my favorite part...

Swarovski Crystals 4mm

When we went to the Dallas Quilt Market this spring, it seemed just about every quilt had these on them.  I would never have thought about putting crystals on a quilt.  They add a completely different depth to the finished project.

They are so easy to apply using this little tool...

Crystal Crafter Applicator

So...now for my finished project...

I was going for a Christmas tree look.  If you look closely, you can see where I applied the crystals.  When you step away from this quilt and look at it, it just sparkles.  

I would love to hear what you think of the quilt.  Hope you are having a great start to your week!

I want to slow down a little...

WOW!  Is it really Friday already?  I really think this week went from Monday to Friday in 2 days.  My little one and I just got back from taking son #1 to school.  I still can't believe school has already started.  Time seriously needs to slow down.  Our kiddos are growing up so fast.  

I have been thinking about time a lot lately.  We are all rushing around like madmen and not really enjoying our families.  I have decided that I am going to host a "party" for my family once a month.  Nothing big, just a chance for us all to sit down...turn of the TV...put down the electronic games...put the cell phones on silent.  Just plain enjoy being a family and sit and talk to each other.  

The tablecloths that we have at Home a la mode have given me the idea to make each party a theme.  Here is what I was thinking...

August

Chef's Surprise

Son #1 and I love to cook together.  I think we are going to use this cutie...make up menus...take reservations...make it like a real restaurant. 

September

Lake House

We live by the lake.  Daughter #2 is going to be coming home from college for the first time around the middle of the month.  I want to make this a carefree "party".  Maybe some finger foods.  Grilled hot dogs and hamburgers.  Just a laid back time at the lake and listen to all of her stories.

October

Bone Appetit

HALLOWEEN!!!!  Enough said.

November

Harvest

We have a family tradition that we rotate houses for Thanksgiving.  This year we are hosting.  I think this is going to be the one that I use.

December

Candycane

I love the traditional colors of  Christmas.  I think i am going to do a "party" that is all Red, White, and Green.  Make desserts to match...maybe some breads...eggnog...YUMMY!

Well these are just a few thoughts that I had.  What do you think?  I would love to hear what ideas you have.  Head over and check out all of the tablecloths and tell me what you would like to do and with which one.  We have 55 different ones.  Which are your favorites?

I hope you all have a GREAT Friday, and a FANTASTIC weekend!

Just one of those days...

Do you ever have those days when you feel very sassy and want the whole world to know it?  I do!  All the time.  I am very sassy...trust me VERY SASSY...hehe.  Well, we have just the things at Home a la mode to help you show the world your "Sassy".  Our line of Anne Tainter items.

Here are a few of them...

File this under "who cares" notepad

If I wanted to be ignored magnet

5 Star Hotel

See...how can you NOT be sassy with these around.  Now if you are not feeling sassy and want to have some awww days we also offer our Suzy Toronto line.  Her work is so beautiful.  She also has a lot of inspirational sayings...

Power of a Hissie Fit coffee mug

Rollercoaster Mousepad

Healing Hands Memo Notepad

Head over and check out all of the other things we offer from these 2 ladies.  Have a GREAT day today!

A Honey Bun Pillowcase!

Good Monday Morning!  For the next 3 days we are offering 10% off of all of our fabrics.  I wanted to show you a pillowcase tutorial that you could quickly make up with some of the great fabrics that I know you will want to get.

Supplies

1 honey bun--I used Bungle Jungle

1.5 yds of main fabric--I used Christmas Red Dottie

Ric Rac--I used Medium Aqua

.5 yd of lightweight interfacing

Have you ever noticed that when I am using a honey bun or jelly roll that my pictures never have them rolled up?  It is because I can't wait to open them up and see what is inside.  It is the little kid in me...it is like Christmas every time I get a new one...just can't wait.

Choose 22 strips.  Lay them out and get the look you are going for.

Sew your strips together.  The easiest way to do this is sew 2 together at a time.  Then add them all together to form one piece.

Cut 2 strips that are 11" wide x the width of the fabric that you have sewn together.

Now, sew the 2 strips together end to end.

Add your interfacing to the wrong side of the strips.  The only reason I did this, is so when the pillow case is washed, the seams won't get all bunched up and weird.  You can completely skip this step if you like.

Cut your main body of fabric to 21" x width of fabric.

I folded my sewn together strips of fabric in half and laid them down on the main body of the fabric, then trimmed the main body to the same size as the strips.  It is hard to give an exact measurement here because of how your strips come together.  Just make that both are the same size and you shouldn't have any problems.

Choose another Honey Bun strip.  Press it in half along the entire length of the strip.

Sew a piece of the ric rac along the entire length of the strip.  I placed mine really close to the edge of the fold so when I sewed the case together you could see all of the ric rac.

Layer your 3 pieces together.  Make sure your fabrics are all unfolded.  Place all right sides of the fabric facing up.  You want to start with the stripped fabric...then the main body...then the strip that has the ric rac.

Line up all your edges. 

 I place 3 pins along the edge just to hold everything together.  Trust me it is a pain to sew it all together and the realize that you have missed places because the fabric has shifted.

Roll up your main piece of fabric.

Now, fold up your stripped fabric and pin the edges together.  You want to make sure that the main fabric is not in the way.  When you roll it up leave yourself about 2 inches of room so you can pin the edges together. 

*On a side note.  See that really awesome pincushion?  That is a Grabbit Magnetic Pin Cushion.  If you don't have one...GET ONE.  I love how powerful the magnet is on this.  With a little one around, I don't have to worry about my pins falling off and her finding them with her little foot.

Sew along your edge using a 1/4" seam.

Grab your main fabric and start pulling it out of the end of the tube you just made. Don't forget the pins that you put in to secure your layers.  I did...it hurt...learn from my mistakes...lol.

  

Keep pulling until you have turned the entire tube inside out.

This is what you should have.

Press your pillowcase with wrong sides together.

Using a scant 1/4" seam sew along the 2 open edges.  Once you have done this, turn your case inside out.  Press again.

Now you want to sew down the edges that you had sewn in the previous step. Use a 1/2" seam.  This gives you a French seam and you have no open seams on your pillowcase.  Turn it right side out again and press.  WooHoo!  You just made a pillowcase.

  

Here it is completed.  Now, my question for you, would you like to see a tutorial of how I made the adorable little pillow in front?

I had told you on Friday that I would show you all of the things that I was able to make with the honey bun.  Here they are...

So, what do you think?  Personally, the little bag with the flower is my favorite!  I think I will have to make ups some more of that one.

Now, head over to Home a la mode...check out all of our fabrics...and get to sewing.  Remember, if you use my Discount Code it will give you an extra 5% off your order.  That means you can get 15% off of your fabric.  That sounds like a pretty good deal to me!